Diaper with swing-attachment strap

ABSTRACT

A diaper for securing a child to a swing or other object. An elongate strap extends from the diaper for placement around the object. Releasable attachment features such as hook-and-loop closure elements are provided on the ends of the strap for securing the child to the swing or other object.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of diapers, andmore particularly to a diaper with a safety attachment strap forsecuring a child wearing the diaper to a swing or other object.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Children enjoy playing on swings. Smaller children often use safetyswings that have chair-like seats with backs and safety features forsecuring the child within the seat, whereas older children typically usestandard swings with a flat rigid seat or a flexible belt-like seatsuspended between a pair of chains or ropes. The safety features onsafety swings are helpful for preventing younger children, who may notyet be able to hold on to the ropes or chains, from falling from theswing and possibly injuring themselves.

But when younger children see older children using standard swings, theyoften no longer want to use their safety swings, desiring to be morelike the “big kids”. During the transition period from a safety swing toa standard swing, younger children must learn to stay seated on theswing and hold on at all times. Often, this learning process involvesfalls from the swing, resulting in bumps, bruises, annoying crying, andpossibly serious injuries.

Accordingly, it can be seen that needs exist for methods and apparatusfor preventing such falls, and assisting children to transition fromsafety swings to standard swings. It is to the provision of methods andapparatus meeting these and other needs that the present invention isprimarily directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In example embodiments, the present invention provides methods andapparatus for preventing falls from swings, and for assisting childrento transition from safety swings to standard swings. The invention takesadvantage of the fact that most children at the age where they want totransition from a safety swing to a standard swing are still in diapers.Preferred forms of the invention provide a diaper with an attachedsafety strap, whereby the strap may be secured about the swing toprevent falls.

In one aspect, the present invention is a diaper having an elongatesafety strap with a medial portion thereof securely attached to a backpanel of the diaper. Ends of the safety strap include attachment meansfor releasably attaching the ends of the straps to one another or to afront panel of the diaper.

In another aspect, the invention is a method of securing a child to astandard swing or other object using such a diaper. A child wearing sucha diaper is seated onto the swing, the ends of the straps are wrappedaround the swing along the child's sides, and the ends of the straps areattached at the front, along the child's abdomen. In this manner, evenif the child does not hold onto the swing, they will be less likely tosuffer a fall.

In still another aspect, the invention is an apparatus for securing achild to an object. The apparatus preferably includes a diaper portionhaving front and rear panels and a crotch portion therebetween. Theapparatus preferably also includes an elongate strap affixed to saiddiaper portion, and having at least one free end for placement around anobject to which a child wearing the diaper is to be secured, the atleast one free end comprising attachment means.

In another aspect, the invention is a method of securing a child to anobject, the method preferably including applying a diaper having anelongate strap affixed thereto to the child, placing the elongate strapabout the object, and attaching the strap to releasably secure the childto the object.

In another aspect, the invention is an improvement to a disposablediaper of the type having front and rear panels with an interconnectingcrotch portion, attachment tabs for releasably securing adjacent sideportions of the front and rear panels, elastic portions along each sideof the crotch portion, an absorbent inner lining, and amoisture-repellant outer shell. The improvement preferably includes theprovision of an elongate safety strap for securing a wearer of saiddiaper to an object, the safety strap being flexible and substantiallytear-resistant, and having a medial portion affixed to the back panel ofsaid diaper, with two free ends extending from the medial portion andhaving attachment means provided thereon.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention willbe understood with reference to the drawing figures and detaileddescription herein, and will be realized by means of the variouselements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing generaldescription and the following brief description of the drawings anddetailed description of the invention are exemplary and explanatory ofpreferred embodiments of the invention, and are not restrictive of theinvention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a child seated on a swing with a diaper according to anexample embodiment of the present invention, with the safety strappartially placed about the swing, but unattached.

FIG. 2 shows the child seated on the swing, as in FIG. 1, but with thesafety strap attached.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to thefollowing detailed description of the invention taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure.It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to thespecific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/orshown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescribing particular embodiments by way of example only and is notintended to be limiting of the claimed invention. Also, as used in thespecification including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,”“an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particularnumerical value includes at least that particular value, unless thecontext clearly dictates otherwise.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an example embodiment of the presentinvention comprises a diaper 10 having a safety strap 20 affixedthereto. Exclusive of the safety strap 20, the diaper 10 is preferablysubstantially similar in design to typical commercially availablediapers, having a front panel for placement about the front of a child'slower abdomen, a back panel for placement about the child's lower backand bottom, and a crotch portion extending between the front and backpanels. The diaper optionally has an hourglass shape, with the crotchportion being relatively narrow, and the wider front and back panelstapering outwardly therefrom. Attachment tabs comprising adhesive, hookand loop fastener materials, or other fasteners may be provided alongside edges of the front and/or rear panels for securing the diaper ontoa child. Elastic is optionally provided along the sides of the crotchportion of the diaper for more secure attachment around the legs of thechild when worn. In other forms, the diaper is in the form of pantieshaving a pair of leg openings and an elastic waist, so that it can bemore easily pulled up and down for potty-training purposes. In certainexample forms, the diaper 10 is a disposable diaper formed of paper,cellulose, synthetic or other disposable materials, having an absorbentinner lining, and a moisture repellant outer shell. In alternate forms,the diaper 10 is a reusable cloth diaper.

The safety strap 20 is preferably formed of natural or synthetic wovenor non-woven fabric, cellulose material, or other flexible material(s).The strap 20 is preferably about 1½″ to 3″ wide, and is preferablysubstantially inelastic and resistant to tearing. The strap ispreferably at least about 20″ to 30″ in length, although shorter orlonger strap length may be utilized for smaller or larger sizedchildren. For example, it may be desirable to provide diapers of severalstandard sizes for use with different ranges of ages and sizes ofchildren, and provide the strap 20 with a length of about 1.5 to 2.0times the median waist measurement of each standard diaper size.

In one example form of the invention, a medial portion 22 of the strap20 is permanently or releasably secured to the back panel or otherportion of the diaper 10, as by adhesive or hook and loop fasteners, orextends through slots in the diaper, or is integrally formed with thediaper. The strap 20 preferably further comprises two elongate sectionsextending in opposite directions from the medial portion 22, terminatingin free ends 24, 26. The ends 24, 26 of the strap 20 preferably includeadhesive, hook and loop fastener materials, buckle couplings, or otherattachment means for securing the ends of the strap to one another or tothe front panel or other portions of the diaper 10.

In another example form of the invention, a first end of the strap 20 ispermanently or releasably secured to the back panel or other portion ofthe diaper 10, and a free end of the strap extends therefrom forwrapping about the child and the object to which the child is to besecured. The free end of the strap 20 preferably includes attachmentmeans for securing to a cooperating portion of the diaper 10 or strap20.

In use, the diaper 10 is applied to the child in standard fashion. Thechild is then seated on a swing 30 or other object. The strap 20 is thenpositioned around the object, and the end(s) of the strap are fastenedin a manner to secure the child to the object and prevent falls. Whendesired, the strap is unfastened, so the child can move away from theobject.

In another application, the diaper of the present invention can beutilized to secure a child to a chair to prevent the child from standingup during mealtime, or to secure a child to various other objects forvarious purposes. And the present invention may also be useful forpurposes other than securing a child to an object. For example, thestrap may be wrapped about the child's waist and attached at a locationon or near the back panel of the diaper where the child cannot easilyreach, in order to prevent the child from removing the diaper.

While the invention has been described with reference to preferred andexample embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat a variety of modifications, additions and deletions are within thescope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

1. An apparatus for securing a child to an object, said apparatuscomprising: a diaper portion having front and rear panels and a crotchportion therebetween; and an elongate strap affixed to said diaperportion, and having at least one free end for placement around an objectto which a child wearing the diaper is to be secured, the at least onefree end comprising attachment means.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the elongate strap has a medial portion affixed to the rearpanel of the diaper, and first and second ends extending from saidmedial portion.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the diaper is adisposable diaper.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the attachmentmeans comprises hook-and-loop closure elements.
 5. A method of securinga child to an object, said method comprising applying a diaper having anelongate strap affixed thereto to the child, placing the elongate strapabout the object, and attaching the strap to releasably secure the childto the object.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the strap has a medialportion affixed to a rear panel of the diaper, and wherein the strap issecured to a front panel of the diaper.
 7. In a disposable diaper havingfront and rear panels with an interconnecting crotch portion, attachmenttabs for releasably securing adjacent side portions of the front andrear panels, elastic portions along each side of the crotch portion, anabsorbent inner lining, and a moisture-repellant outer shell, theimprovement comprising: an elongate safety strap for securing a wearerof said diaper to an object, said safety strap being flexible andsubstantially tear-resistant, and having a medial portion affixed to theback panel of said diaper, with two free ends extending in oppositedirections from the medial portion and having attachment means providedthereon.